Friday, September 25, 2009

Pacific Arbour Tea and Trumpets Series

Light Classics in the Afternoon, with tea, cookies, and host Christopher Gaze

VANCOUVER, BC – The Pacific Arbour Tea & Trumpets series begins on the afternoon of Thursday, October 1st. Hosted by Christopher Gaze of Bard on the Beach fame, with most concerts conducted by VSO Assistant Conductor Evan Mitchell, Tea & Trumpets is a 6-concert series of light and popular classics on Thursday afternoons at 2pm, at the Orpheum Theatre.

The Tea & Trumpets series began in 1989 as the brainchild of Otto Lowy, the host of CBC Radio’s long-running musical series The Transcontinental. His vision was to bring the idea of his radio show – a blend of European music and personal recollection – into a concert format. Lowy, who passed away in 2002, had passed on the torch to Bard on the Beach founder, Christopher Gaze. Lowy was inducted into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame for his 50+ years of work in theatre and fittingly awarded a star at the Orpheum Theatre’s Walk of Fame.

Since 1989, the series has grown from four concerts per season to six and is one of the VSO’s most successful subscription series. Tea & Trumpets is truly a social experience, with tea and cookies presented in the lobby one hour before each concert begins; in fact, it acts as a communal gathering place and special event for concert goers from all over Greater Vancouver.

Behind the scenes of a Pacific Arbour Tea & Trumpets series concert is a complex event involving over 50 volunteers per concert responsible for front of house duties, tea and cookie service, clean up, and special assistance to patrons. The VSO is thankful to its many dedicated volunteers who help make this concert series possible.

The VSO is grateful to Pacific Arbour for their generous ongoing support of the Tea & Trumpets series. Pacific Arbour Group builds ideal communities for seniors – they create quality residences that provide safe, comfortable places for seniors to enjoy first rate services and amenities, within convenient neighbourhoods. Please visit them at: www.pacificarbourgroup.ca.

The VSO also thanks Tetley Tea and Peek Freans for the tea and cookies served at Tea & Trumpets.

Thrill to a program of full-blooded passionate Russian Classics. This concert features some of the very best in exciting Russian music, including Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake: Waltz, excerpts from Stravinsky’s Firebird, and Shostakovich’s Festive Overture.

Series Sponsor: Pacific Arbour

Tickets: $36 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)Tickets available online at www.vancouversymphony.ca or by calling VSO customer service at 604.876.3434

Thursday, March 18, 2pm, Orpheum TheatreLehar’s Land of Smiles

Evan Mitchell, conductorChristopher Gaze, hostUBC Opera Ensemble

Lehar The Land of Smiles

Franz Lehar was the King of Operetta. The Land of Smiles is one of his later works and tells the story of Lisa, a Countess in Vienna who meets a Prince from China, falls in love, and travels with his to his home in Beijing. What eventually happens? Come to the concert to find out!

An afternoon of beautiful, sentimental English music, including some of the best-loved Classics of any kind: the breathtaking beauty of Nimrod from Elgar’s Enigma Variations, excerpts from Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado and Pirates of Penzance, and much more.

Series Sponsor: Pacific Arbour

Tickets: $36 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)Tickets available online at www.vancouversymphony.ca or by calling VSO customer service at 604.876.3434

A beautiful concert that focuses on the most important era in music’s development. You will hear selections from some of the greatest music ever written, such as Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins, Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro: Overture, the famous first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, and much more.

Series Sponsor: Pacific Arbour

Tickets: $36 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)Tickets available online at www.vancouversymphony.ca or by calling VSO customer service at 604.876.3434